Golf putting game



Nov. 10, 195@ T. Dl BUONO 2,912,248

GOLF pum-ING Gm:

Filed Nov. e, 195s www United States Patent C GOLF PUTTING GAME Theodore Di Buono, Flushing, N.Y. Application November 6, 1956, Serial No. 620,610 A1 Claim. (Cl. 273-176) This invention relates to games and, more particularly, to games devised to perfect the art of golf putting.

Various types of games have been proposed for the purpose of improving golfing. skill. However, many of these games are artificial and do not present a true challenge to the golfer. An object of thisinvention therefore, is to provide a golf putting game that is simple in construction and arrangement and which simulates actual putting conditions.

Another object of this invention is to provide an authentic golf putting game of skill having an automatic ball return device associated therewith and which may be arranged with other similar structures to provide facilities for multiple play and which is substantially automatic in accumulating and returning balls used in connection therewith to a central location.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a single game unit made in accordance with the present invention; A

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3 3 of Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of a plurality of similar game units arranged in a predetermined manner.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawing, a single unit golf putting game made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a simulated golf putting green having grass sod turf 12 supported on the central portion of a horizontal platform 13. This platform is bounded by a pair of spaced longitudinal frame members 15, 17, and a transversely extending connecting frame member 16. A plurality of cups 20, of the type ordinarily used on a golf course, are arranged along a diagonal of the putting green and extend through the bottom of the support platform 12. These cups, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, are arranged immediately above a ball return trough 19 that has a rearwardly and Vdownwardly sloping bottom wall 22 extending toward the rear right hand corner of the unit. The side and transverse frame members 15, 16, 17, to-

-.gether with the exterior rectangular frame 24, define side and rear return troughs 25, 26, 27, which also slope rearwardly downwardly toward the right hand rear corner of the unit and into proximity with the return trough 19 that is positioned beneath the cups 20. The forward end of the unit is provided with a tee 30from which the balls are hit by the player.

As is more clearly shown in Figure 4, a plurality of similar units 10 may be arranged in such a way as to provide facilities for an equal number of players to practice simultaneously. Arranged in this manner, the 12 units shown would occupy a space approximately sixty by forty-five feet. All of the troughs are so arranged as to empty into a central, longitudinally extending causeway or central trough 52. Thus, a single person can conduct the use of the entire layout 50 and can distribute the returned balls from the centrally disposed causeway 52 to the players desiring to practice on the single unit 10. In actual play, the ball is placed on the tee 30 and hit towards any desired one of the holes 20. The balls that are properly directed will fall through the open Ycups 20 and into the diagonal return trough 19. Other balls that have been hit astray and fall into the side or rear troughs 25, 26, 27, are automatically directed towards the rear corner of the unit and, in the case of the layout 50, may be directed toward a central position within the causeway 52, from where they may be returned to the same or other players as they are needed. Any balls not falling through the holes or into the troughs and whichlremain upon the surface of the turf or sod, may either be returned mechanically or manually for further play. It will be noted that the upper level of the sod and frame members are all in substantially the same plane, whereby a very natural and authentic appearance is provided, and so as to provide a truly natural environment for the players. The surface of the sod, while being shown as level, may be sloped, made hilly or wavy, to further increase the difficulty of placing the balls within the holesand to provide additional practice to the player. Similarly, the various cups 20 may be spaced equal or varying distances apart so that additional tests of skill are provided. Because of the diagonal disposition of the cups, the player must direct the ball in varying angular directions from the tee so as to provide greater variety of play. By controlling the width of the size of the individual sections of sod making up the putting green 10, access to the troughs may be had in the event that any become clogged or jammed up.

Therefore, while this invention has 'been described With particular reference to the specific form shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claim appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A golf putting game comprising, in combination, a first set of aligned and parallel platforms, a second set of aligned and parallel platforms, the rear portions of said first set of platforms being in alignment and adjacent to the rear portions of said second set of platforms, each of said platforms comprising a pair of spaced apart parallel side frame members and a transverse rear frame member secured to said platform, grass sod supported upon said platform between said frame members, a plurality of spaced apart cups disposed in said sod and extending through said platform, said cups lying in a straight row extending diagonally of said platform, a hole ball return trough disposed beneath each'row of said cups sloping downwardly toward a terminal end adjacent to said transverse rear member of each said platform, and a central ball return trough disposed between said first and second sets of platforms, said hole ball return trough of each said platform communicating with said main ball return trough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

